Happenings and Adventures in the Bristolwood

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Well, I could grumble and complain. I absolutely do *not* enjoy hot weather. Give me December, January, and even February cold, and I promise I will not complain about the cold. But heat? Ugh.

Today, after doing my orders and some things around the house, we decided to take look at ATV’s. Today’s venue was Honda, Suzuki, Bombardier, and Yamaha. We packed up and drove down to a dealer about an hour away. We prefer to go to dealers that will allow test drives. Can you imagine buying a car without ever having driven it? Granted, an ATV is a great deal less costly, but who wants to buy a machine and then discover it rides terribly, or, worse yet, the ride is uncomfortable?

Truly, I digress..

We stopped by, and I drove a Honda Recon, then Rancher. The kids tried out some little quads, but hated the fact that they were so small! After this, the dealer had me try a Suzuki Eiger. I guess the Rancher was my favorite at this place.

We popped back into the truck and drove a bit more. This was the Bombardier/Yamaha dealer.I drove a Grizzly which is what Mark is considering for the kids. Nice ride. The kids also tried out a couple more machines. Mark had me drive a Yamaha Bruin. WHOA! Was I *impressed*?I told Mark I finally found MY machine!!! Here is a look at it:

Mark wants me to have a test drive on the big brother to this machine, with a 350 cc engine. This is because I am used to 4 WD; I would like 4 wheel drive, as that is what I have been accustomed to in the past.. We shall see.

But, for tonight, I have visions of that pretty little blue machine!!! I told Mark, I think I am a“Yahamamama”!!! BTW, I have discovered a wondrous way to beat the heat….it is nearly impossible to feel the heat while riding an ATV!!! Vrrrrrrooooooooooooommmmmmmmmm.

Everything is back to normal after yesterday’s somewhat unexpected) deluge!

I decided to grab my camera early this morning and take a few pictures of my “greenery” about the place. The quality of these pictures is a bit poor, but it is possible to see some of my pride and joy!

This is my strawberry pot that I plant with Begonias every year! They add a lot of color to greet visitors and are just so nice sitting on the porch!

And, this is the hanging basket of Begonias that I so love! The leaves are dark green…The contrast between the leathery leaves and the soft pastel roselike blossoms is stunning. The trees in the background are actually part of my front yard.

And yes, these are some tomatoes on my tomato plant! I watch them like a hawk, awaiting the day when I can *finally* pick that first ripe one! And………………..

My gardening “talents” are limited to gardening in five-gallon buckets!!! As much as I enjoy observing my deer friends, I have never succeeded in warding them out of my garden. And so, alas, I have reverted to “portable gardening”. Although it is sometimes a challenge, the one BIG advantage is that I can move my plants about, ensuring optimal sunlight! And, before I take leave, there is one more plant I would like to share……….

Yes, this is my mutant Bleeding Heart plant, which has basically overtaken most everything in its path! Thus far, it has pushed aside a hosta, several Columbine plants, and is currently working on a Coneflower. I have committed to breaking up this plant for sure this autumn. It is currently covering almost 5′ along the side of the house.

I have been wanting to begin blogging for some time, but time keeps getting away from me! And so, now whilst things are slow, I will begin!!!

To say that it rained “cats and dogs” today would be a vast understatement! It was more like “whales and elephants”. Ben and I went up the road to pick up some goodies for dinner, and upon returning home, the sweet little *peaceful* stream that runs through our front yard had transformed into a raging “riverlet” with sound that rivaled Niagara Falls. Being a relatively quiet little stream, it was a bit unnerving witnessing this contrast. I breathed a sigh of relief as I saw that the culvert was capable of handling this somewhat brief “syndrome”!

As we ate our dinner, we could see a beautiful doe eating a short distance from our back deck. She was so pretty and completely reflected such a peaceful nature. She munched on the weeds growing on the bank and nonchalantly looked about. To see these animals is just so amazing…they exude such a calm and wonderful beauty. As we watched Ms. Doe, a small hummingbird flew in and took sustenance from the potted petunia hanging on the deck. To witness one remarkable visitor is so fine, but two! Ah, life IS good here in the Bistolwood!!!